Why ‘Beef’ Doesn’t Focus on Race
Ali Wong's character in #BEEFNetflix was originally a middle-aged white man.
Creator Lee Sung Jin on why that changed: "Especially in the modern era - you have to talk about race...I really didn’t have much interest, nor the capabilities to handle that." https://t.co/vrtNJ5YP5Y
- Variety (@Variety) April 8, 2023
This post contains spoilers for “Beef,” available to watch on Netflix now.
“Beef,” traces the intersecting lives of Yeun’s Danny and Wong’s Amy after the two engage in a vitriolic road rage incident that sets both on a collision course to chaos.
• Amy’s character was initially conceived as a middle-aged white man. If that had stayed the same, “Beef” would have become a very different show. Was that a factor when you were deciding to change the character, or did it just happen when you met Ali?
"A little bit of both? The reason I abandoned Stanley Tucci-type very quickly was because - especially in the modern era - you have to talk about race, and there’s so many other shows that do that very well. I really didn’t have much interest, nor the capabilities to handle that, to write about that. So that was a factor. But I think it wasn’t the factor in working with Ali. If Ali were another race, I still would have wanted to work with her. She really embodies so much about this character that is perfect, and she brings so many nuanced layers to the role. The fact that she is Asian American does help, because it allows for so many other doors to open and for us to explore other themes without having to address the card of race, which would take up a sizable amount of narrative real estate."
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